The actor behind Dwight on “The Walking Dead” breaks down his relationship with Daryl, and we’re so nervous
We’ve heard so much hype over Negan leading up to season seven of The Walking Dead, it’s easy to forget there are other, important new characters. Obviously, we’ve got King Ezekiel and his tiger, Shiva, over at The Kingdom. There’s also Dwight, a new Walking Dead villain played by Austin Amelio. Dwight first appeared in season six of TWD, so if he looks familiar, that’s why.
Currently, Dwight is making Daryl’s life total hell. However, he’s not just your average bad guy. At least, that’s what Austin Amelio teased when he talked with E! News about his TWD character.
Talking about TWD fans’ response to Dwight, Amelio is totally candid. “I get a lot of ‘f—k you’s and ‘I want to burn your house down and burn the other side of your face.’ While those responses are extreme, so are the terrible things Dwight does to Daryl.
Daryl fans watching #TheWalkingDead right now… pic.twitter.com/HiDXnEn1rm
— BD (@BrandonDavisBD) November 7, 2016
Dwight feeds Daryl dog food sandwiches and subjects him to the worst song ever. He also taunts Daryl with a picture of Glenn’s body. So, yeah, many fans hate him. And Amelio is cool with that:
“I was like, I know if I go toe-to-toe with this guy, I'm gonna get a lot of hate, but that's alright. It's acting, and it's a show, and if I'm doing my job right, I'll get people hating me.
Plus, Dwight is an extension of Negan, who is actually really terrible. Despite that, though, Amelio thinks fans will soon see a new side to Dwight.
“I think you're going to get a better understanding of Dwight and not look at him like a villain, per se. A lot of people are like, ‘Oh, he's my new favorite villain!’ And to me, I think he's just a guy that's misunderstood.
We do already get glimpses of that, especially where Dwight and his wife, Sherry, are concerned. Sherry basically gave herself to Negan to save Dwight’s life, and it’s clearly agonizing for both of them. Some fans are already feeling bad for him:
why do i feel really sorry for #Dwight though… #TWD #TWD7 pic.twitter.com/nA3o3XalCf
— THINA—OG KPOP STAN (@thina_savvy) November 7, 2016
Says Amelio: “So the layers of the onion start to peel back a little bit. I think some people are going to start to maybe empathize with the guy, if all goes well.
We think it’s possible to empathize with Dwight on The Walking Dead. But, we’re definitely afraid to see what torture he puts Daryl through in the meantime. Hopefully, Amelio is right and we’ll come to like Dwight sooner, rather than later.
